
Category Archives: Fernblogger
Fernblogger-Blog for Brandon Fernhoppers Running Club
Lynn2 In Barbados!
Barbados 6.30am 17th October 2015 and 29°
Hopperish For Absolute Beginners
Brandon Leisure Centre
Forest-edge facility subject of a relatively recent 500k redevelopment. Grid reference TL778863. Rural tennis courts are apparently in set-aside.
Fern
Any one of 12000 vascular plants reproducing via spores.
From the Old English fearn.
Hop (verb)
Old English hoppian, meaning to spring, leap; to dance; to limp.
Ken (verb)
To know. Possibly of Scottish origin. “D’ye ken John Peel when he’s far far away?”?”
Kenometre (noun)
Indeterminate distance. Reputed to be much greater than 1km. Not recognized by Trading Standards.
Steve
From the Greek Stéfanos, meaning wreath, crown, honour, reward. A name disproportionately represented among hopperati and mascots.
Sunday Morning
A two-hour period devoted to fern hopping and often followed by rehydration.
Wibbly (adj.)
Off-piste deviation involving vertical movement, preferably both up and down. 19th Century origins, meaning vague.
Wibbly-wobbly (adverb)
Every which way, but never straight or level. Often run over several kenometres (ibid).
Wobbly (adj.)
Off-piste deviation involving lateral movement. American origin, meaning shaky or unsteady.
Run Bike Event at Brandon Country Park
This Sunday sees the return of our popular Run/Bike event.
Details:
Sunday 27 September 2015
Meet at Brandon Country Park, Orchard Car park Picnic Area
9:00 for 9:10 start
If you are parking there, please note that we will be there during the paying period.
Rules:
– Teams consist of 2 people with 1 bike
– Swap over as many times as you like, but runner and cyclist must stay within 10 metres of each other
– Follows Brandon Park Blue route (6ish miles) – I will send over a map and print some out nearer the time. For those who came last time, this is the reverse of last times route.
– Family/Friends are welcome
– Have fun!
Current record(s) since I have been organising:
Kate/Derek 44.08.80 – Full 6 miles route
Ian/Liz 41.25 – shorter route (anti-clockwise)
Actions if you want to take part:
– Pair up and send me the name of your team members
– If you want to take part but you don’t have a team mate, let me know and I can team you up with someone.
Hope to see lots of you there and fingers crossed for nice weather!
Frank’s Journey

If you have told me this time last year that I would look forward to my weekly 10k run through Thetford Forest with the Fernhoppers, I would have laughed out loud. It’s hard enough walking when you weigh 125kg and your knees are buckling under the weight.
But then a kindly physio referred me to a scheme called Livewell Suffolk. Over the twelve week course I examined my lifestyle and then made a few adjustments. The Livewell group sessions are held in the leisure centre and include free membership for three months. The cunning plan is that you try out the gym equipment and exercise classes. I became addicted first to Body Combat and then to Circuits.
Someone in Circuits mentioned Parkrun and I looked it up. I thought that I would measure a 5k circuit from home, have a go in private and time myself. The first waddle took 70 minutes. But as the weight came off, so did the time. When I was down to 50 minutes I decided it was time to go public and so I signed up for Parkrun and got round without stopping in around 45. The friendly Parkrun became a weekly event. Getting a new Personal Best is a great feeling!

The same runner who had coaxed me along to Parkrun (he really is called Frank, whereas I am not) got injured and he offered me his place on a curious-sounding race, the Wibbly Wobbly Log Jog. I knew the step-up to 5 miles would be a challenge. The organisers agreed the swap and once I had felt the springy stuff under my feet and seen the green canopy above my head, I was hooked. The extra miles and weekly training sessions mean that I am still getting back into shape, but all this activity is also knocking minutes off the Parkrun time too.
And that’s how I came to be a Fernhopper but perhaps I should also explain how I became “Frank”: There were already six other Steves in the club, including the mascot, an inflatable giraffe. Over the years people have often put Frank and Spencer together. I quite like it really, but I would never wear a beret, despite being a French teacher.
Nelson Knee Knobbler
A good turn out from BFH at the recent ‘Nelson Knee Knobbler’ 5 and 10k. Results follow below, well done to all our runners!
5K Results
Paul Meader 38:51
Lisa Plumb 45:51
Dianne Calvert 51:53
Stephen Spencer 54:03
Liz Elliot 55:35
10K Results
Steve Neale 53:14
Frank in Quebec
Here’s a snap of Stephen ‘Frank’ Spencer running in Quebec. This is where his journey back to health began, with a challenge from his daughter Sophie to run a 5k with her.

Having roped in his other daughter Isabel here is another taken at a 5k in Shawnigan, which Wikipedia informs me is “… a city located on the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie area in Quebec, Canada.”
There doesn’t look to be a very big entry for this one!:)

Chairman’s Update
Wibbly Wobbly TV Goes Live!
Wibbly Wobbly TV is now online: For a light hearted look at some of the highlights of this year’s race follow the link here.
Run Bike Event-Brandon Country Park
A big week for the Fernhoppers got off to a terrific start last night (23rd June) with our Run Bike event at Brandon Country Park. There was a great turn out with many of the people who have joined us on recently joining in with this fun event. Some did very well, some had ‘mechanicals’, and some got lost (despite an excellent map), but thankfully not permanently!
Results to follow, but in the meantime here is some of the reaction on our BFH email list:
“What a brilliant evening thanks Helene for sorting that out… the best yet I reckon .. Cheers too to those that brought the food and refreshments.
Lets try and think of something else like that we could do…. “
“Seconded, thank you Helene. Lovely evening. Thanks also to Lynn and Lyn for the refreshments :)”
“Thanks to Helene for sorting it out, Paul for prizes, Lyn and Lynn for the important afters, Shane for being roped in to partnering me, Kate for encouraging me up the hills and everyone else for waiting fir me.
Looking forward to next year!”
“I too would like to echo my thanks to Helene.
Excellent turn out too…
From the longest server Fern Hopper, it is so nice to see that the club appears to be thriving once again. So much so, it is even beginning to lead me to want to get out there again and join you guys and girls.
So, not only is the current leadership attracting newbies, it may well be re-engaging with old has-beens as well.”